This invention relates to floors for grain bins, or the like, and more particularly to aerated floor systems allowing air to circulate through the floor into the grain supported by the floor.
The present invention is directed to grain aeration system including a floor made of a plurality of floor plates or sheets supported on an underlying frame with apertures or openings in the floor plates through which air may be blown upwardly to aerate the grain resting on the floor plates. A typical grain floor is used in a cylindrical grain bin with the floor being circular in shape and being installed over a concrete pad, or the like. Grain floors of this type are often corrugated or ribbed in the longitudinal direction of the floor plates; and the air holes are quite extensive, for example constituting about ten percent of the floor plate surface area.
One conventional type of such grain flooring is assembled from plates cut to different lengths, the lengths decreasing from the central longest plate whose length equals the diameter of the floor, which diameter is often 15 to 105 feet. Such plates are often about seven inches in width. Proceeding in opposite directions from this central dimetrical floor plate are plates of decreasing length extending from one side of the bin to the other side of bin. Such floor plates are also formed with depending interlocking channels along their longitudinally extending sides. These interlocking channels add considerable height to the floor plate and make it difficult to stack the floor plates one on the other. Because each diameter of grain bin will use different lengths of such floor plates, a large inventory of floor plates is required at considerable inventory cost. Such long and high height plates are difficult to transport to the side of erection and difficult to transport about a warehouse. Furthermore, the channel edges prevent a compact stack of floor plates either in a warehouse or on a transporting vehicle or vessel.
Typically, the holes formed in the floor plates are round holes formed by a punch. Certain grains such as round shaped grains, like barley, milo or rape seed tend to fall through the holes and block airflow and cause an irretrivable loss of grain. Also, to obtain the snap fit between adjacent floor plate channels, the channels must be formed relatively precisely and aligned relatively precisely. Because of all of these shortcomings, the cost of such floors becomes relatively expensive.
A further desireable feature for a grain floor is that it be easy to clean and be readily swept by a bin sweep. The openings in the floor should not have sharp edges as will cut or damage grain during a cleaning or sweeping operation.
Accordingly, a general object of the invention is to provide a new and improved, as contrasted with the prior art, grain floor system.
A more specific object of the invention is to provide a tiled floor systems using new and improved floor plates with hooded openings to protect against grain loss through the openings.